2 "If growth is what you're after, you won't learn much from complex measurements of customer satisfaction or retention. You simply need to know what your customers tell their friends about you." -Frederick F. Reichheld "If I'd asked my customers what they wanted, they'd have said a faster horse." -Henry Ford

3 Acknowledgements Writing this thesis has been both difficult and fun to do, it has also been a very interesting experience, especially the parts concerning the understanding of how real world business works. There have been many late nights and early mornings, and after all the work I can finally conclude that the thesis is finished. Through all of this there have been several helpful people I would like to thank for their support. My supervisor Tim Foster has been a great resource throughout the research. He has steered me in the right direction and given me great support throughout the work process. Furthermore I want to thank my contact person Ulf Herlin at Haldex for making this thesis possible and also all the other employees at Haldex Traction Landskrona for sharing your time, office, and many laughs in the time that I spent there. I would also like to thank Robert Knudsen at Nefab for his time and answers. Furthermore, I want to thank my family and friends who have been very supportive and helpful and encouraged me every step of the way. Special thanks to you Johanna for keeping me motivated through all the work. I would finally like to thank the Thoresson family for providing me company and roof over my head for the months that I spent in Helsingborg.

4 Abstract Businesses are in a constant race to increase profits, keep the current customers and gain or poach new ones, competing for customers on a globalised market like never before. One of the many sets of tools aimed at aiding the interaction between supplier and customer are the Customer Relationship Management methodologies. CRM is aimed at building strong long term relationships that keep customers coming back repeatedly. It aims to help organizations build individual customer relationships in such a way that both the firm and the customer get the most out of the exchange, providing both parties with long term benefits. The purpose of this thesis is to provide a better understanding of the usages of CRM in B2B firms. To reach this understanding the thesis starts with three research questions based on this purpose on which theory is collected. The three areas of concern are: objectives, strategy and measurement of CRM. Using the collected theory about these questions a frame of reference is chosen and used to collect information from two large firms operating from Sweden, Haldex and Nefab. These companies were studied through case analysis and compared to each other and to theory. The data collected from them was primarily attained through structured interviews. The findings indicate that much of the explored theory regarding CRM is true for the B2B sector. There are however a few areas in which the firms diverge from theory, specifically those relating to the usages of estimated values such as loyalty and satisfaction in customer evaluations. It was also found that there is a lack of research in the areas of evaluation of CRM. Furthermore the findings indicates that CRM in B2B focuses on the organizational aspects of CRM, and a strong goal for businesses is to unlock the information the employees have and store it in a place the business can own.

6 6.1 Objectives & Benefits of CRM Customer Objectives Business Objectives Strategies used for CRM Touch Points Front Office Back Office CRM System Performance of CRM Conclusions & Implications RQ1: How can the objectives & benefits of CRM be described? RQ2: How can strategies used for CRM be described? RQ3: How can performance of CRM be measured? Implications for theory Implications for Future Research Implications for Practitioners and Management References Appendix A Interview Guide

7 1.0 Introduction This chapter starts with the research background in order to sum up the situation for the reader. This is then followed by the problem discussion, which will end with an overall purpose of the study. Then a specific research problem will be formulated from the problem discussion. 1.1 Background The idea behind Customer Relationship Management is not new; even the earliest merchants knew it was a good idea to build relationships with customers to keep them coming back (Jobber, 2004). In the early stages of commerce this was a much easier thing to do, the old mom-and-pop stores are a good example of this, staff knew exactly who each customer were, and sales people knew what customers preferred and also who could pay and who usually paid on time. However, when firms grew, information about individual customers became lost among the masses. To deal with the ever expanding customer bases, customer groups or segmented marketing was created, where customers are put in slots that best fit their desires. Using these slots or groups of customers most requirements and expectations could be met, but there is compromise on many desires as the services are tailored to groups, not individuals (Bose. 2002). To deal with this problem the term Relationship Management started surfacing around The idea was to work more with direct customer relationships. Firms realized that this let them learn more about and better tailor to their customers as well as create additional value for both their customers and themselves (ibid). Relationship Management is a group of methodologies and terms that describes how corporations should strive for: long term relations, work with quality goods strive for good customer service. (Levitt, 1983) Grönroos (2004) puts the main arguments behind relationship building as: Offer more security. Feeling of control Sense of trust Minimized risks Reduced costs of being a customer After the introduction by Levitt in 1983 Relationship Management was rapidly accepted among marketers. The popularity however soon fell as it was found that the information needed to work with R.M. was mostly missing as corporations were still much aimed at product and segmented marketing (Peelen, 2005). 2

8 Interest was however rekindled during the 1990 s when organizations realized that customer relations were something that had to be given a more holistic view. It was found that customers do not solely interact with the marketing department, but instead all parts of the organization. In both B2C and B2B the entire organization needed to be aimed at pleasing customers, not just marketing (ibid). Many organizations that had previously been built around factories tried refocusing their attention on customers, aiming more on finding the right customers and creating relations in which both parties profited (ibid). However, the excitement about relationship marketing soon disappeared once again as it was proving difficult to achieve good short term results with it (ibid). The strategies and systems used to try to keep these customer databases also proved very expensive and tedious to maintain (Xu, Yen, et al, 2002). In several companies this might have been the end of Relationship Management, but with the introduction of more advanced Information Technologies it has come back with a new name, Customer Relationship Management (Peelen, 2005). With the introduction of advanced IT systems entire databases of customer information can be made available at all points in the organization, enabling every member of the organization to have a complete view of each customer (Xu, Yen, et al, 2002). Today many definitions of CRM exist. According to the Gartner Group, one of the biggest consultant firms in the CRM market, the definition of CRM is: CRM is an IT enabled business strategy, the outcomes of which optimize profitability, revenue and customer satisfaction by organizing around customer segments, fostering customer-satisfying behavior and implementing a customer-centric process. (Gartner group, pg 2) Bose gives another definition of CRM according to his findings: CRM is an integration of technologies and business processes used to satisfy the needs of a customer during any given interaction. More specifically, CRM involves acquisitions analysis and use of knowledge about customers in order to sell more goods or services and to do it more efficiently (Bose pg 1) Another definition according to Lancaster & Jobber is: Customer Relationship Management is a term for the methodologies, technologies and e- commerce capabilities used by firms to manage customer relationships. In particular, CRM software packages aid the interaction between the customer and the company, enabling the company to co-ordinate all of the communication efforts so that the customer is presented with a unified message and image (Lancaster & Jobber p.357). 3

9 Customers are now more than ever demanding a different relationship with their suppliers, managing a close relationship has become a central aspect in delivering the business goals (Xu, Yen et al, 2002). With the increase in technology available to customers today the world has become a much smaller marketplace and the relationship an ever more important selling aspect (Strategic Direction, 2002). Walton & Xu (2005) explain that CRM is widely regarded as method of retaining and developing customers, through increased loyalty and satisfaction. A company s product can quickly be compared to another, and many companies are offering very similar products or services to each other. With this in mind the service, quality and relationship experience becomes one of the greatest competitive aspects for a business s survival (ibid). Companies are also realizing they can more easily lock in customers by understanding their needs and competing with exceeded expectations, something which CRM systems can help organize (H. Kale, 2004). According to Drucker (1996) knowledge is the only meaningful resource and the only real competitive differentiator. Xu & Yen et al (2002) further state that successful companies will use customer information systems to build relationships on the levels that customers want them, and by organizing the information about each customer a singular view can be made of each client throughout the company no matter how many customers they have. The realization of the benefits of CRM are also noted in the market of related software products, in 2008 the C.R.M. market reached 8.9 billion USD, and by 2012 it is expected to reach 13.3 billion (Gartner Group, 2008). 1.2 Problem Discussion The focus of most CRM systems according to Xu & Yen et al. (2002) is to aid in the understanding of customers. By warehousing collected data about many different customers, forecasts can be made, of both customer s future buying trends as well as individual customer behavior. These systems can, according to Rigby (2003) be used to tailor to the needs of each individual customers. Customer Relationship Management can also help in breaking down the barriers between departments, something which can prove quite difficult, as in some firms there are even deep rivalries between departments (Edwards. 2007). Edwards (2007) explains that while the usual channels for sale s are the customer contacting a company regarding a product, many times a sale can present itself while a technician is out supporting a product or while delivery personnel is delivering a product. Through an efficient CRM system such leads can be taken care of (ibid). Wailgum (2007) further argues that CRM is needed when the organization does not have a clear view of their customers and what their individual needs and desires are. Bolton (2004) 4

10 also states that in most implementations it is the organization and not the customer that stands to benefit from it. In practice however, the objectives of CRM are usually simplified down to managing the information between customers and supplier (ibid). Many CRM systems however can never be called successful, anywhere from 60% to 80% of CRM ventures fail. There are many reasons for failure; the most common according to H.Kale (2004) are: Losing sight of customers Ignoring customer lifetime value Lack of management support Undervaluing data analysis Underestimating required management involvement Inflexible business process Letting the IT-department decides what to develop Strategic Direction (2002) argues that for CRM to become success in any organization it needs to be part of every step of the organization that has some sort of interaction with the customer and not just placed on top of the current strategy. Simply buying and installing fancy software does not produce any results (Wailgum, 2007). According to Rigby et. al. (2003) the key is to strike the right balance between people and software, not relying completely on a software system. The idea of CRM software systems should not even be considered until a customer focused strategy has been developed and supported by the organization. Even then it is not necessary to invest in a huge computer system in order to get to know your customers (ibid). CRM is also faced with a problem of being difficult to measure the performance of. Corner & Hinton (2002) suggest that there is a lack of performance measuring techniques that can be applied to CRM, the techniques for measuring Return on Investment for capital investments do not work well when applied to IT technologies. According to Corner and Hinton (2002) it is difficult to measure the exact effect and payback of improved customer support. Zarah & Kimiloglu (2009) also agree with this view, as they state, it is difficult to measure the success of CRM. Costello (2000) explains that the broader the implementation of a CRM solution is the more difficult it is to pinpoint specific causes for business improvements. Even so, many CRM initiatives have resulted in greater efficiency and revenues for many of the organizations that have successfully implemented them (Chen. Popovich. 2003). 5

11 1.4 Purpose & Research Questions Based on the problem discussions the overall purpose of this thesis is to: To provide a better understanding on the use of CRM in B2B firms. RQ1: How can the objectives & benefits of CRM be described? RQ2: How can strategies used for CRM be described? RQ3: How can performance of CRM be measured? 1.5 Demarcations Due to the limited time available for the research the study will focus primarily on business to business firms operating on an international scale. 6

12 2.0 Literature Review The previous chapter presented the introduction and background to the problem. From this a problem discussion was developed which ended in specific research questions. This chapter will present relevant literature to each of these questions. 2.1 The Objectives & Benefits of CRM This section will present several authors views on objectives and benefits of CRM. Grönroos (2004) explains that an on-going relationship with customers will help in providing a sense of security, trust and feeling of control. Through studies Xu & Walton (2005) have concluded that the major reasons corporation managers are implementing CRM are: Improve Customer Satisfaction Retain Existing Customers Provide Strategic Information Improve Customer Lifetime Value Benefits of Relationships as defined by Gummerson Gummerson (1994) explains that the building of relationships is the key to reaching and maintaining a successful market share. Gummerson defines the benefits as: Retention By learning relevant information about the customers such as; names, habits, preferences and expectations one-on-one relations can be formed and customers can be kept coming back continuously; maybe even become friends. Intimacy & Profits. Through the use of IT a feeling of intimacy can be created with the customer as no matter whom they come in contact with, they know them. The major benefit being that once the relationship has taken form increased profits can be attained by both parties adapting better to each other. Benefits and Characteristics as defined by Zeng, Weng & Yen Zeng, Weng & Yen (2003) describe the characteristics of well working CRM as: Increased Customer Satisfaction. Through the use of smart I.T. CRM can provide instant service responses based on customer inputs and requirements. 7

13 Provide Information on future sales. By automatically analyzing the customer s purchases & previous history trends and estimations of future buying behavior can be made. Differentiated and Customized Service Use all of the technology available to deliver up to the second information about each customer and to provide key performance indicators about each customer. To better meet customers needs Be flexible and move on information as it arrives. Being able to accept and manage leads as they arrive and meet unexpected demand. Objectives of CRM as defined by Xu & Walton The main driving force behind most CRM implementations are not those of acquiring strategic information, but rather making the business process more effective. According to Xu & Walton (2005) the main points of CRM are: Collect Information One of the primary usages of CRM is to collect information. Every contact with the customer should be logged. Efficiency The main concern of CRM is to make use of the great amount of collected data. Sales representatives should easily see what has been bought in the past and what previous calls and/or complaints have been about. Automation CRM, specifically Operational CRM, is aimed at improving the efficiency of the marketing process through automation of the sales process. Objectives as defined by Sherif, Nguyen & Newby The general objectives of CRM systems are to collect data about customer interactions with the firm (Nguyen, Sherif, Newby. 2007). They also state these points as more specific objectives: Increased Customer Loyalty Collecting all important information about a customer and having all the relevant data about a customer s history readily available at all access points in the organization. 8

14 Superior information gathering and knowledge sharing The CRM system updates the history of each customer as soon as an interaction occurs, no matter how the interaction took place, whether it is through, Sales, Support or the web site. Understanding customers Analytical CRM can further be used to build predictions of trends and try to forecast demand, as well as to better understand each individual customer and thus providing a better offer to the customer. Superior Service Using information about customer s habits and interactions with the firm to offer relevant products and services customized to each customer. 9

15 2.2 CRM Strategies This section provides theories and models concerning different strategies of the CRM initiative. One of the benefits of CRM solutions is that they link together the different departments of an organization (Eckerson and Watson. 2000). Popovich and Chen (2003) explain that through CRM a company s touch points are linked together with other business units, this lets the front office get up to date information about what is going on with the customers. Furthermore, this information can be used in back office functions, to help with planning and setting strategies for the future Interaction CRM Technology links the different departments of an organization together. Making all the touch points where customer interacts with the firm as effective as possible, this can be by providing access to information from inventory or shipping to the sales department, or the web site so it can better and faster serve the customer (Popovich and Chen. 2003). As explained by Chen & Popovich. (2003) the different touch points vary in organizations but they define them as all the places where the customer comes in contact with the firm. According to Davids (1999) one of the primary concerns with CRM is to synchronize the different access points in the firm to provide a unified message to the customer at each interaction point. Xu & Yen et al. (2002) further describe it as, by knowing and working with all the interaction points the goal is to improve the customers experience with the firm. Pelen (2005) defines the following types of interaction points. Media, such as television or radio Website Telephone Personal Sales & Service Employees The Value of a Customer CRM does however not happen by simply buying software and installing it at all touch points in the organization, for any CRM process to be truly effective it must start with realizing who your customers are and what their value are over time (Wailgum 2007). According to Nguyen et al. (2007) a good way of starting the CRM initiative is to build a model of each customer s profitability and expand from there, they use an example given by Wreden (2004): Customer Profit = (gross revenues) (customer allowances) (credits and rebates) (product costs) (channel costs) (cost to serve) (administrative costs) 10

16 Similar strategies should be at the heart of every CRM initiative, ensuring that each customer is not costing more than they are worth (Nguyen et al. 2007). An extension to this methodology is the Lifetime Value measurement, it is a way of trying to calculate the value of each customer towards the firm over the estimated time the customer will stay with the firm, ensuring that focus is on the customers that will be profitable over time. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) is generally defined as the present value of all future generated profits. Using this, a company can better differentiate between important profitable customers and those whom are not so profitable or even generate a loss. It can also be used to customize the way the company deals with customers, giving the company an idea of how much it s worth spending on each customer. (Gupta. Hanssens. et al. 2006). According to Gupta & Lehmann (2001) there are many ways of calculating Customer Lifetime Value, the C.L.V. equations are also usually customized to each firm. Although most companies have three general points in common which are the primary factors of C.L.V., Margin of sold products, Loyalty, and Cost of Capitol and Discount rates. The Margin reflects the revenues minus expenses of an individual customer, usually estimated on an annual basis. The retention rate is the probability of the customer leaving to another organization or competitor. The final factor, Cost of capital and discount rates, is a way of accounting declining incomes, and the costs associated with running the business and the risk of lost capitol (Gupta & Lehmann 2001). Zikmund (2003) defines four very similar factors as they key drivers of customer life time value. 1. Profit Margin. Annual profit minus cost to serve the customer. 2. Retention Rate. Estimation of total amount of customers whom make repeat purchases. 3. Discount rate. Current cost of capital. 4. Time. How long is the customer expected to stay with the company. Gupta & Lehmann et al. (2006) explain that once a business has developed a C.L.V. model for their customers the value of each customer can quickly be calculated instead of generalized from their segments. This is a result of the availability of large databases and powerful computers. 11

17 Xu & Walton (2005) also argue for the benefits of profiling customers to find each customer value to the firm. To find out which customers are of high value they view the following factors as important: Product cost Cost to acquire Cost to serve Cost to retain Retention & Loyalty Probability Xu & Walton (2005) classify customers in four categories according to their value to the company, Figure 2.2. High High Value Profitability Low Low Value Figure 2.2. Profit Cost-Matrix Source: Xu & Walton 2005 Low Cost High They explain that even though a customer may be buying high volumes of goods it may not be profitable to keep them if costs are also high, it is important to evaluate each customer individually to determine if they are worth keeping or how they can be made profitable (ibid) The Continuing Process Successful companies will build systems that enable corporations to use the customer s information wisely and deliver what the customer wants on their level (Xu. Yen et al. 2002). ThuyUyen & Nguyen (2007) explain CRM as the process of digitizing the staff s knowledge and give the example Table 2.2 of how a CRM model or implementation could be built. 12

18 Table: 2.2. Process Integration. Increase in customer loyalty Full information about customers profile and previous requests or preferences instantly available to sales and service representatives when a customer calls. Superior Service Customer representatives can provide personalized service, offer new products and services based on customer purchasing history. Superior information gathering and knowledge sharing The system is updated each time a customer contacts the organization, whether the contact is in person, by phone, or via the web. Sales, Marketing, service, and technical support have access to a shared database. Source: ThuyUyen & Nguyen (2007) It has also become increasingly important to built tools that can produce useful knowledge or analyze the data collected about customers (ibid). Xu & Walton (2005) use the model in Figure 2.3 to classify the areas knowledge needs to be attained in. Internal (Existing) Who (Profiling) Existing Customer segmentation Loyal, defect to; defect from Strategic important customer Demographical segmentation Prospective customers New customer acquisitions Existing Customer behavior pattern Satisfaction and loyalty Retention and Defection pattern Defecting pattern to competitors Defecting pattern from competitors Customer pattern loyal to competitors How (Pattern) External (Prospects) Figure 2.3 Analytical Customer Knowledge Acquisition. Source: Xu & Walton (2005) p.963 It is important to know who the customers are but also how they behave and if there are any common patterns they follow. Information should be attained on defecting customers to see why they leave and if there are any common reasons for it. Information on why customers are leaving could for example be used to create a list of problems facing the company or 13

19 products. Information should also be collected on what makes customers loyal to competitors and why customers are defecting from them (ibid). An analytical CRM system should provide functions that identify the strategically important customers, Xu & Walton (2005) mean such a process should be continuous and proactively integrated within the business. This is possible since CRM is an effective method of keeping an updated customer database allowing for a better understanding of current customer needs (ibid). Using the knowledge that is attained from customers to better cater to their different segments is according to Zineldin (2006) a good way to produce positive revenues for the firm. Information can also be used with offensive marketing strategies, i.e. learning limitations of competitors and building on them to attract new customers. The main use of CRM is however in defensive marketing, something which more and more companies are doing (ibid). Zinedine (2006) explains it in the following manner, Understanding why customers are leaving the company provides that company with the essential information needed to implement a customer retention program. An effective retention program is likely to increase customer satisfaction and thereby improve customer retention and profitability.. (Zineldin. p.436). Peelen (2005) explains the different strategies in a similar way, Figure 2.4. The offensive strategy focuses on conquest of market share, acquiring new customers and getting rid of the competition. A defensive strategy is however focused on maintaining the current customers and building barriers. The two methods have very different measures of success, where as the offensive strategy focuses on attaining new customers the defensive one focuses on customer re-buy, satisfaction, and customer turn-over. (Peelen. 2005). Generic Strategy Offensive (New Customer) Defensive (Current Customer) Enlarge market Increase market share Build switching barriers Increase customer satisfaction Figure 2.4: Offensive vs. Defensive Strategies Source: Adapted from Peelen (2005) Zineldin (2006) also states that it is important to give special recognition to the long-term & most profitable customers, differentiation should be made among the treatment of the 14

20 customers whom have been with the company for an extended period. It is also important for companies to welcome complaints, complaints should be viewed as a second chance to satisfy the customer (ibid). The culture of the company also needs to be changed to reflect the ideas behind CRM, according to Greenberg (2004) the culture is the most overlooked and undervalued part of the CRM strategy. Many times the culture of the organization does not change even through the management is trying to refocus the company towards the customers (Greenberg 2004). It is the lynchpin of any CRM program (p. 473). In reality the corporation needs to focus on how it can push the employees towards the objectives of the CRM, there needs to be a common belief that the customers really do present value and that the company allows change and openness (Curry & Kkolou 2004). According to Greenberg (2004) the firm needs to focus on how the social, physiological, emotional, organizational and personal culture of the organization will change and make sure that the management focuses on the positive aspects of these changes and encourage the employees to help build customer relationships. Some customers do however not want a relationship with the company, customers may even leave if a relationship is forced upon them (Xu & Walton. 2005). Corporations which are highly transaction oriented with very little customer to sales-representative time will more likely see a decline in sales rather than an increase when trying to push relationships onto their customers. Businesses which have a lot of face-to-face time will see a bigger boost in the sales numbers the more integrated they become. (Chase 2004). Rao & Perry (2002) give an example of different types of relationships, and have classified relationships into six categories. Single transaction between buyer and seller. Simple transaction where all necessary information is contained within the price of the product. Repeated Transaction. Using marketing strategies, such as frequency flyer points, to encourage repeat purchase, commitment, and loyalty. Soft buyer-seller relationship. Developed from repeated purchases without specified contracts, but where firms are making investments to adapt to each other. Hard long term contractual relationship. Focuses on shipments and resolution of disputes, involves a closer social bond Strategic alliance. Comprehensive contractual relationships similar to those of vertical integration, Economic dependence is high but social interaction may be low because legal rather than social rules enforce co-operation 15

21 Networks. Complex relationships with 3 or more actors which have both an economic and social interference. It is important that the organization realizes what type of relationship the customer is after and builds upon that, providing the right level of service and value to the customer (Xu & Walton. 2005). Mintzberg & Lampel (2003) further present ways to give value to the customer by integrating the customer in the production itself, customizations can be done to the supply chain itself to meet the customer needs, Table 2.1. They suggest that one can bring the customer into the different levels of production to provide a product or service that better suit customer needs. The stages as they explain them are: Table: 2.1. Continuum of strategies Pure Standardization Segmented Standardization Customized Standardization Tailored Customization Pure Customization Design Design Design Design Design Fabrication Fabrication Fabrication Fabrication Fabrication Assembly Assembly Assembly Assembly Assembly Distribution Distribution Distribution Distribution Distribution Grey = Standardization Source: Mintzberg & Lampel Green = Customization Pure Standardization. This type of strategy is geared at producing the same product to every customer, there is no adaption, it is aimed at pleasing the general market, the only option if the customer doesn t like the product is to switch producer. Segmented Standardization. The market is divided into different segments, instead of trying to please the general market the firm produces products standardized for the individual segments. Customized Standardization. In this type of customization the product is assembled together with the customer from a set of standardized components to best fit the customer requirements, and also distributed according to their needs. Tailored Customization. This type of customization aims to produce a product which fits into the customers use in the best way possible, the design is still that of the firm but the components going into the product are specified together with the customer. 16

22 Pure Customization. In this type of customization the customer is involved with everything the firm is doing, from the design all the way to delivery Overview Models According Curry & Kkolou (2004) the customer life cycle is a process with needs to be analyzed and dealt with in every organization, they give the Customer Management Activity as an example of such a system. Wylie (2001) explains that this is a model for how customer s interaction can be viewed within an organization. The model is created by QCI consulting, Figure 2.5. Win back Targeting Managing Dissatisfaction Value Development Customer Management Activity Conversion Welcoming & getting to know Retention Activity Delivering the Basics Figure 2.5: Customer Management Activity Source: Adapted from QCI 2009 The Customer Management Activity as described by QCI (2009) is divided into three major categories: Acquisition, Penetration, and Retention, in each of the categories it goes through a number of stages. 17

23 Acquisition Targeting o Conversion o o Identifying channels to reach customers, finding influencers and prospects for future sales. Capturing enquiries through all possible channels Distributing sales leads to sales department, leads which can come from all parts of the organization Welcoming and getting to know o Identifying new customers, welcoming them, and learning about them. Penetration Delivering the Basic Product & Learning about the customers o o Retention activity o o o o o Key account management Data Collection Value Development o Analyze the probability of keeping the customer. Build an understanding of customers. Encourage customers to be involved. Appoint responsibility for individual customers. Reward customer loyalty. Analyzing who the customer is and how the relationship and product can be developed to provide further value to the customer and firm. Retention Problem Management o o o Win back o o o Create a complaint process Define problems Find root causes Last minute loss prevention Solving the identified problems and tell them about it. Deal with defecting customers. 18

24 Peppers & Rogers (2001) suggest a different model, they believe that a CRM strategy should be based on the IDIC view, Figure 2.5. Its stages are: Identify, Differentiate, Interact, and Customize. Where, Customize and Differentiate are based on analysis of customers, and Interact and Identify are the interaction with the customer. Customer Operational CRM Identify Interact Analytical CRM Differentiate Customize Figure 2.5: IDIC Model. Source: Adapted From Siddiqi (2002). Identify It may seem simple and obvious for a firm to gather information, however, many times the information is spread out between departments and not organized in such a way that information can be linked quickly to each individual customer (Siddiqi. 2002). This step is concerned with gathering and organizing information about the customer, the more information gathered the more can be read into the customer s trends and preferences and value to the firm (Peppers & Rogers. 2001). Differentiate Each customer represents a different level of value to the company. The priority here is to identify the different needs of each customer and thereby estimating the value and importance of each customer. This is also about in what way the business can tailor their offer to each customer, and figuring out to what extent it s worth tailoring the offer to each customer. (ibid) 19

25 Customize The goal of CRM is to be able to deal with each customer on a one-to-one basis. Using the specific knowledge of each customer firms can meet each customer s expressed or implied needs. In this step the offer is customized to each individual customer (ibid). Interact. Once a company has a clear understanding of their customers and what the customer is worth to them they are in a much better position to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of dealing with those customers. Also, in each interaction with the firm through the touchpoints the firm should continue to gather knowledge of preferences, data that can help them further customize and continue to give quantified value to customer (ibid). According to Peppers & Rogers (2001) an example could be to not have the most valued customers waiting in any queues for service CRM Development According to Bose (2002) creating a CRM solution is in most cases a matter of complex integration between, software, hardware and adaption to the real world. He explains the creation of a CRM solution as divided into a process of eight steps: 1. Planning 2. Research 3. System Analysis 4. Design 5. Construction 6. Implementation 7. Maintenance and Documentation 8. Adaption 1. Planning. In this stage management needs to consider their product and how customers will receive value from a customized interaction. It also needs to be deal with how the managers of the organization are supposed to deal with the increased information. Specifically there are two items that need to be dealt with: customer interaction points and decision interaction points. The customer interaction points need to be identified and decided upon if they are to be modified removed or kept. The second consideration is realization of how the collected information will help managers make better decisions. At this stage the IT crew also needs to decide how the information about each interaction will be stored and presented to different departments of the firm. 20

26 2. Research. In this stage the individual needs of all the touch points should to be addressed. All points do not need or require the same information. Throwing all the information at the user at once could even be counterproductive. 3. System Analysis and Conceptual Design. In this stage the IT department creates initial interface ideas for how the interaction in the touch points which were identified in the planning stage take place. There are two primary ways for a customer to interact with a CRM system, the system needs to provide all the necessary information to the user so that a successful interaction can be made in both cases. 1. Sales representative whom is IT assisted An employee of the organization uses the CRM system to assist a customer. 2. Automated Interaction Customer himself interacts with the system, through such services as the internet or automated phone systems. In this stage of the process it can also be necessary to contact outside help if the necessary skills are not available in the organization. In this phase putting the project into stages also needs to be considered. Even if organizations have the resources to completely re-engineer the company in a short time it is probably more feasible to do it in smaller steps or stages, starting with the core components. There are also three major points that need to be dealt with concerning the customer data. Integrating customer data across the firm In many cases the way data is stored about a customer also needs to be re-designed. In order for CRM to provide any real benefits the data from many different departments needs to be stored in the same place and all connected to the customer instead of organizational functions. Expanding the data collected about customers For CRM systems to work, many times the amount of data collected needs to be expanded. Not only the transactions of the customer are important, many times complaints, support calls, and other inquires can yield important information. There needs to be easy ways of capturing and entering such information in the system. 21

27 Integrating the CRM system with legacy systems. The CRM system will also likely need access to data available in other systems, what data it needs access to and how this will happen needs to be decided. Before leaving this stage there needs to be a feasibility study. CRM is a large undertaking, it requires the support of top level management as well as large expenses and many times business process changes, decide if is really possible. 4. Design. When the plan and the viability of the project have been determined, detailed specifications of what the software needs to be able to do should be made. In this stage it might be a good idea to contact external software vendors if that has not been done previously. 5. Construction. This may be one of the biggest of all the tasks, here the actual program is made. As previously stated it is suggested to do this in stages, over time. 6. Implementation. One of the most important things about incorporating a CRM strategy into a business is training the employees on how the strategy works. Having a strong training program will go a long way in getting the CRM initiative to work. Such a training program needs to cover among other things, these points. Why CRM is important How customers should be dealt with How the system helps them deal with customers in this way. Managers need more specific training on the use of CRM to spot problems fast and steer in the right direction. 7. Maintenance and Documentation. The functions and performance of the system need to be continuously evaluated to understand if they can be improved or why they aren t performing as well as expected, or why they are performing as well as they are. 8. Adaption. The process of CRM is continuously changing, new opportunities will arise and sometimes even problems with the current process will be discovered. By continuously being in contact with the customers and the people who use the system continuous updates and upgrades can and need to be made. 22

28 Davids (1999) puts the implementation and development steps of a CRM initiative in ten key points that need to be dealt with prior to launch. 1. Make sure there is something in it for the customer. Many ventures fail because they don t create enough new value for the customer. 2. Make sure there is something in it for the company. Benefits for the customer should result in cash for the company. 3. Clear goals. Create clear objectives with what you aim to do with the system. 4. Using the data. Make sure that once information is collected, it is put to use. It is better to collect less data that can be used then to be overwhelmed. 5. Make sure all parts of the organization are involved. It is not just about marketing; all points where customers get in contact with the organization need to be on board. Find and remove the points of resistance in the organization. Make sure that the employees are receiving proper rewards for using the system. 6. Outsource when necessary. Even though most IT departments could manage the task they might not be the best or the cheapest. 7. Move quickly and add over time. Start with something small and make it deliver on promises, too many projects get stuck in the planning phase as money-sink-holes. Most of the time you only get one chance to achieve employee and management buy in. 8. Begin with a small customer group. Target a specific group and expand from there. Don t do everything at once. You can t start off serving every customer. 9. Test the system. Try the system on small groups to find out what works and what does not. Limit the possible mistakes to a small group of people. 10. Don t overestimate what is needed to start working with CRM. Work with what is available and get started, the results of CRM can be great, investments don t need to be. According to Chase (2004) the most common error businesses are making is trying to do everything at once. The reason this is so common is that CRM is such an ill- and widely defined project and in most organizations there seems to be huge amounts of data which businesses try to use all at once. Chase (2004) further explains that it needs to be understood that each interaction point in the system needs fundamentally different things from the system. The system that support the sales persons needs to be simple and fast and allow for skipping of information, its core 23

29 purpose is to be efficient. This however is not true for the accounting system, which needs to be as accurate and reliable and as rule based as possible. According to Chase (2004) there are three distinct levels of CRM; data replication, data synchronization and process integration. These levels are more of steps where one should start at the replication level and work up, adding more functionality along the way. The three stages as described by Chase (2004) are: Data Replication This is the simplest system form in which data only moves in one direction, updating the CRM system with the latest financial and economical data, but not allowing change. This is mainly used to allow user to more efficiently get information. This is a good start into CRM as it has the benefit of users going into the system to retrieve information, helping the adoption stage, which is key in getting CRM successfully into the business. Chase (2004) gives the suggestion that to improve usage of the system, important information which will help the individual worker achieve their goals should be available only through it. Data Synchronization The purpose of synchronization is to move key elements between the systems, information such as customer contact data. Chase (2004) makes the following example of what could be synchronized (Figure 2.6.). Figure: 2.6. What to synchronize. Source: Chase (2004) 24

30 By synchronizing the most important information, which has uses in more than one department, it can be made sure that everyone is working from the same data, and that it is up to date at all Touch points of the system. Most of the time it is just a matter of making data that is already available in the system more easily attainable to different apartments. Process Integration This type of integration aims to provide the necessary information at each step through the sales process with a customer. Chase (2004) divides the actual steps of implementing CRM systems in three stages. 1. Early success. Start with a smaller system which will deliver ROI in a matter of weeks or days. Solve a problem that will generate steam for the project helping to build buy-in. 2. Building Momentum. Use the success in the first stage as a stepping stone to push for further development. Make sure success is documented to build credibility and political influence towards users and management. Exceeding expectations is important. 3. Expanding and Integrating. Continue the CRM implementation and further it to include capabilities that will further the company. Make sure not to lose focus on what will help the business strategy. It is also important that a leader of the business is responsible for the CRM initiative, as they will most likely have a good view of both internal and external problems (Bull. 2003). Often CRM fails because it is driven by functional heads of departments such as I.T. which focuses on improving individual functions of the system, instead of on the overall strategy and well being of the company. Like most projects CRM should have a leader with authority that can make things happen (Nguyen et al. 2007). 25

31 2.3 Measuring performance of CRM Measuring the performance of a process is vital to being able to improve upon it (Curry & Kkolou. 2004). For a CRM initiative to be seen as a success there needs to be a change in the customer behavior as a result from it, but if these changes are measured by feelings and opinions rather than being measurable benchmarks and objectives, then it really isn t a success. There are many ways to measure CRM success, most of which involve some type of scorecard. As with all business metrics, the measurements all have one thing in common, they need to be presentable in numbers to the stakeholders. (Greenberg. 2004). Greenberg (2004) divides the metrics into three different categories, Customer, Performance, and Diagnostic metrics. Customer Metrics Customer desire to work in a partnered relationship rather than transactional Willingness to accept a comprehensive solution from the company rather than developing the solution themselves from bought parts. Customer potential index which lists the products the customer uses that the company can supply, whether they do at the moment or not. Performance Metrics Revenue per salesperson increase Retention rate for customer increase Customer Lifetime Value increase Response rate increase for marketing campaigns Increased up-selling and cross-selling opportunities Increased renewal rates for service agreements Diagnostic Metrics Number of employs using the application Number of customer addresses in the database Time (measured in clicks or actions) it takes for employee to reach desired customer information. Hyung-Su & Young-Gul (2007) developed a scorecard for evaluating CRM in the organization. The scorecard is presented in Table

33 The organizational measurements are an overall view of the total performance of the project, this focuses on global measurements such as return on investment for the entire CRM initiative. (ibid). Hughes (2009) however states there have been a lot of suggestions to the measuring CRM using the Balanced Scorecard and Six Sigma. He believes that these global measures do not portray the true picture. Curry & Kkolou (2004) claim that the use of score cards come from managers not being involved in and understanding the CRM process enough to use measurements adapted to it. Hughes (2009) suggests these types of measurements: Increased Customer Retention; less customers leaving each year. Increased Sales; number of orders from each customer per year Increased Cross-Sales; customers buying from more product categories Increased Up-Sales; Customers buying more expensive products. Increased Win-back; More customers whom have left come back Increased Referrals; Current customers bringing more than before Doing all the above while costs do not exceed profits. Hughes (2009) also states that the purpose of CRM as with all marketing is to increase profits by more than costs. Zarah & Kimiloglu (2009) provide the following list, assembled through an extensive review of literature, of metrics that can be used to measure e-crm performance: Awareness of brand has increased Trustworthiness of brand has increased Pre-sales services to customers strengthened More vigorous support to customers during sales process More support to customers whom have bought a product or service Total number of users has increased Number of new customers has increased Cost of new customer decreased There are more re-purchases / repeat buyers than previously The win-back of customers whom have left has increased Time between order and delivery decreased More accurate customer database Accuracy of determining target market has increased Customer satisfaction increased Customer transactions increased Customer transaction amount has increased The customers usage of company resources has increased Customers spend more time on the website Complaints arrive at the appropriate person faster & responses are faster 28

34 Higher solve rate of customer complaints Customers are more willing to share information about themselves Usage of help and support on the website has increased. 29

35 3.0 Conceptual Framework In the previous chapter literature and models concerning the three stated research questions were reviewed. In this section the emerged conceptual framework of the reviewed literature will be presented. This framework will be used as a guide for the rest of the thesis. 3.1 RQ1: How can the objectives & benefits of CRM be described? Research question one aims to explore the objectives and benefits that CRM can bring to an organization. There are many views on the objectives and benefits of CRM or even relationships within business for that matter. To make the frame of reference more structured the objectives have been divided into two categories, customer related objectives and business related objectives. Customer Related Objectives These groups of objectives are those that relate more closely to the customers. This includes loyalty, retention and satisfaction. The reviewed authors provide very similar views of customer CRM objectives, stating mostly the same things. The following objectives have been chosen the as they are stated amongst most of the authors, using similar wordings. These specific versions were chosen because they provide the clearest explanation and are the easiest to follow. Increased Customer Loyalty. (Sherif, Nguyen & Newby. 2007). Increased Customer Satisfaction. (Zeng, Weng & Yen. 2003). Increased Customer Retention. (Gummerson. 1994). These three objectives are much related to each other. If a customer keeps coming back it implies they are loyal, and if they are loyal they are most likely satisfied with the business. 30

36 Business Related Objectives These are objectives which are more closely related to the business itself. These objectives include collection, gathering, and analysis of data to better understand customers, and by doing so better meeting their needs and providing forecasts about future sales and increasing profits. Automation is another objective which goes hand in hand with efficiency and profits and is described very similarly. The most commonly agreed up on objective in theory is the use of CRM to collect information. Xu & Walton provide a very clear explanation of this. The reasons for collecting information are further explained by Sherif and Zeng, these authors are used as they are the most extensive on the subject. Collect Information (Xu & Walton 2005). o Understanding customers (Sherif, Nguyen & Newby. 2007). o To better meet customers needs (Zeng, Weng & Yen 2003). o Provide Information on future sales. (Zeng, Weng & Yen 2003). Efficiency / Profits. (Gummerson 1994). o Automation. (Xu & Walton 2005). 31

37 3.2 RQ2: How can strategies used for CRM be described? This section will describe the different theories concerning the strategy of CRM that will be used. In order to make these strategies more easily overlooked, the view of Chen & Popovich (2003) on how a CRM process is comprised will be used to divide the theories into categories, Figure 3.1. Customer Touch Points Front Office Back Office CRM System & Data Warehousing Figure 3.1: Strategy Overview. Source: Adapted and simplified from Chen & Popovich Customer Touch Points Touch points are the interactions points the customer has with the organization Chen & Popovich (2003). The Interact stage of the IDIC (Identify, Differentiate, Interact, Customize) model will be used as an overview of the customer exchange since it provides a broad clear view of these touch points. Davids theory regarding touch points is the most inclusive of the theories reviewed and is therefore used to outline how customers come in contact with the firm. Peelen (2005) further provides a list of possible interaction points which match well with both the views of Peppers & Rogers as well as Davids, this list will be used to further dive into how customers exchange information with organizations. IDIC (Peppers & Rogers. 2001) o Interact Customer Touch Points (Davids 1999) o Television, Radio (Peelen 2005) o Website o o Telephone o Personal Sales & Service Employees 32

38 3.2.2 Front Office The Front office is a collective term for all firm functions that deal directly with customers (Chen & Popovich. 2003). This section will present the theories relating specifically to the customer interaction. The Identify stage of the IDIC (Identify, Differentiate, Interact, Customize) model is used it provides a good description of the core requirements for the use of CRM in the front office. The CMAT model is then used to view the different stages a customer s goes through. This particular model is used as it has very comprehensive and detailed explanations of the different stages. ThuyUyen & Nguyen express the need for digitizing the knowledge of the employees, something which other reviewed literature only hint at, they are used because they explicitly express this. Finally Greenberg states that culture is of high importance with the implementation of a new CRM strategy, he is used as he is the most comprehensive source on the subject. IDIC (Peppers & Rogers. 2001) Identify Stage Customer Management Life Cycle (Curry & Kkolou. 2004) Further described by (QCi 2009) Digitizing Knowledge (ThuyUyen & Nguyen 2007) Culture (Greenberg 2004) Back Office The back office contains all the functions not directly visible to the customer (Chen & Popovich. 2003). As expressed by many authors there is a high need in the CRM process to find the value of each individual customer. The theories from Zikmund are used as they are the most detailed of the reviewed theories regarding customer value. Furthermore Xu & Walton present a unique view of customer classification using the profit cost matrix, similar theories have not been found in other literature, and it is therefore included. The Differentiate and Customize Stages of IDIC (Identify Differentiate Interact Customize) model are also included as they provide good overview explanations on the subject of differentiating the customers and customizing the product to them. To augment the broad customization overview of the IDIC model Mintzberg & Lampel and Zineldin are used to describe the customization as they offer detailed descriptions on the subject. 33

39 The analytical model of Xu & Walton on the areas that data needs to be attained in is the only found theories on this subject, it is therefore included as it provides unique insight into what organizations should think about when deciding what information to look for. Furthermore, Zineldin provides a better explanation of what can be done with the customer knowledge than the other reviewed authors. He is therefore used in conjunction with Xu & Walton to provide an idea of what information to attain and what to do with it once it is found. Customer Value o Drivers of CLV (Zikmund. 2003) o Profit Cost Matrix (Xu & Walton. 2005) IDIC (Peppers & Rogers. 2001) o Differentiate o Customize Product Customization (Mintzberg & Lampel 2003) Relationship Customization (Zineldin 2006) Customer Knowledge Acquisition (Xu & Walton. 2005) o Using the knowledge (Zineldin 2006) CRM System / Warehousing This section contains the theory more specifically related to the implementation of the system. Bose s model of how CRM systems should be implemented is very comprehensive, however, David s list summarizes the steps Bose states very well, and therefore David s list is used as it is simpler but still contains the same key areas. Chase also detailed the planning of the system but did not go into as much detail as Bose. He does however explain levels of integration, which no other author brings up; therefore this section of his writings is included. Ten Key Points (David 1999) Levels of Integration (Chase 2004) 34

40 3.3 RQ3: How can performance of CRM be measured? In this section the chosen theory related to measuring the performance of the CRM initiative is listed. The CRM scorecard developed by Hyung-Su & Young-Gul will be used as a primary measure of performance as it is by far the most comprehensive of the theories found. However, since Hughes directs critique directly at the scorecard method, claiming that it is not suitable for measuring soft values such as those of CRM, his theories on measurement methods will be used alongside the scorecard to provide extra insight. His views also help to give a wider aspect of the subject. More specifically the CRM scorecard is included even though it has critique directed at it because it is the most complete method found, it tries to measure CRM on all levels of the organization which no other found theory does, and also because Hughes is the only found author to dislike it. 1. CRM Scorecard (Hyung-Su & Young-Gul 2007) o Key Points 2. CRM measurements (Hughes 2009) 35

41 3.4 Frame of Reference These research questions were chosen in order to try to build a complete view of the CRM initiative from implementation to an on-going process. RQ 1 Objectives RQ 2 Strategy RQ 3 Performance Strategic Goals Touch Points Front Office Back Office CRM System Measure Figure 3.2: Research Question connections and overview. In the first stage the objectives of the strategy is chosen, and the purpose of the initiative is stated. In the second stage, theories relating to strategy for the initiative and how systems can be continuously used are described. This is followed by a systematic way of measuring performance of the system, so it can be checked if it is reaching the said objectives. 36

42 4.0 Methodology This chapter will describe the research methods used to attain data on the research questions in the thesis. 4.1 Research Purpose This thesis will go through varying stages of research. The thesis will first of all describe the area of research to try to create an understanding of the area, the study will then try to make generalizations from the data collected. This is the basis for descriptive research (Yin, 2003) (Polit D. et al. 2004). The research will also be exploratory in its methods as the data that the research brings up will not always have clear outcomes or be supported by current theories (Yin. 2003). The thesis will also try to explain the different reasons or underlying causes for the observed events, which is synonymous with Explanatory research (ibid). 4.2 Research Approach The research is starting in theory and moving to data, collecting qualitative information through case studies using structured interviews. The information gathered through interviews cannot be derived from numbers, as the study is performed through conceptualization of the theory (Saunders & Thornhill. 2009). Qualitative research is well suited for this type of research that deals with trying to understand events regarding management and decision making which require a close look at details. This type of study uses a smaller sample base but because of this has a much greater focus on the individual case. The drawback being that the results often need to be verified by using quantitative methods (Gummerson. 1999). 4.3 Research Strategy According to Yin (2003) the Case study is favorable if how and why questions are being asked. This thesis is asking three how questions in order to try to achieve its purpose. This research does not require the control of events to achieve results; it aims to collect information in a setting as they occur naturally. The research furthermore requires a focus on contemporary events. Yin (2003) explains that case studies are well suited for this type of research. Since this thesis aims to generalize from the collected data a multiple case design is preferred as this produces more robust evidence (Yin. 2003). Furthermore multiple case designs are preferred when wanting to test theory on a group that the compliance to theory is not known on (Ibid). This study will use a multiple case study design. 37

43 4.4 Data Collection Method Although no data collection method is better than all others, the interview is one of the most important sources of information (Yin. 2003). Through interviews a deeper understanding can be made as discussions on the subject can be held (ibid). Interviews are therefore used as a primary source of information for data collection. Before conducting an interview, Yin (2003) suggests building a structured interview guide, therefore an interview guide is made from the theory presented in the frame of reference. 4.5 Sample Selection As it is in most cases impractical to collect data from the entire population it s important to reduce the sample size so that it can be collected according to budget and time constraints (Saunders. 2000). In order to get a representative subset of the population non-probability sampling is used. This is used as this is according to Saunders (2000) the preferred method when the data can for the most part not be evaluated statistically. The initial contact will be selected by the author as someone who will likely have knowledge of the area, this is referred to as snowball sampling by Saunders (2000). In the areas were the answers are not thought complete or were they state they don t know the interviewee will be asked to point to someone who can respond to the interview questions in a more detailed manner. As this thesis is aimed at studying the usages of CRM in business to business firms two medium to large B2B firms are selected as data sources. A medium sized corporation is according to the EU Commission (2010) a business with over 250 employees. 4.6 Data Analysis The analysis of the collected data consists of examining, categorizing, structuring or by some means reorganizing collected data to test the proposition of the study. Case studies are especially difficult to analyze as there are no well defined techniques for doing so. Every study should however have a general framework for how data is analyzed (Yin 2003). The analysis will be based on the framework developed from theory, this framework will be used to test the respondent s answers and check if they are agreeing with theory or are presenting something new or doing something differently than theory explains it. According to Yin (2003) when using multiple case studies the goal is to first build general explanations that fit each of the cases, then these cases can more easily be compared against each other to find differences or similarities. Therefore this study will first compare the individual cases against the theory and then compare the differences or similarities of the two cases with each other. This will be done with each theory that is tested in order to provide an easily overview of the study. 38

44 4.7 Validity and Reliability Validity is an important aspect of every research paper, in order to deal with this a multiple case study type of research is preferred, as it is more likely that the findings are valid if they are from multiple sources (Yin. 2003). In order to try to build validity and reliability for the literature review the theories are primarily from scholarly journals, and in some cases, books of renowned authors. Many different authors views on theories have also been collected, and theories which reflect the general view of these selected. According to Saunders (2000) reliability is of special concern when conducting interviews, specifically towards the bias of the interviewer. This type of bias can be reduced by structuring the interview beforehand. Therefore Interviews were only performed in a structured manner, as per Appendix-A. To try to increase validity every interview has been recorded for later review. Furthermore physical evidence was requested where it was applicable to ensure the reliability of the collected data. The interviews were conducted in Swedish and then translated to English, the transcribed material was returned to the interviewee s so they could check that their responses had been understood and translated properly. Also, validity deals with the generalizability of the research, whether it can be applied to other research settings. This is of greater concern when dealing with single case studies as the result usually only reflects that organization. With increased number of cases studies this problem is reduced. (Saunders. 2000). 39

45 5.0 Data This chapter contains the empirical data that has been collected for the thesis. It contains primarily data attained through use of interviews, but also secondary data in forms of documents and presentations accessed through the intranet. The two companies selected for the case studies are Haldex Traction AB, and Nefab AB. Haldex Traction AB is a sub supplier to the car industry, they develop manufacture, assemble and deliver customized products to vehicle manufactures in form of all-wheeldrive couplings. Haldex Traction AB has previously only had one primary customer but has grown, they currently deliver to eight large car manufacturers but also have many smaller firms as customers. The customers are handled through key account managers that have specific customers assigned to them. Many people are involved in each customer and they have recently begun looking into a system to organize this in a better way. (Haldex.com 2009). They explain the current situation as there being strong relationships and a lot of information exchanged between them and customers, all this information is hard to keep track of, as a result they are looking into systems that can aid them in this. Nefab AB core area of business is in packaging. They work with businesses all over the world in order to supply complete packaging solutions for their products. Nefab AB has around 20 large customers and many smaller customers. The large global customers are handled though centralized efforts while the smaller are handled at local offices. The firm has as recently started using CRM systems to aid the selling process. (Nefab.com 2010). They explain the current state as the system having been implemented but there still needing to be a lot of work done in bringing up the usage of the system. Both firms work solely in the B2B sector and strive for long term relationships on a global scale. 5.1 Case 1: Haldex Traction AB. This section presents the data collected from Haldex Traction AB. The respondents are listed with a short presentation. In the text the bold letter next to their name is used to represent them. H - Ulf Herlin - Vice President Business Development. L Anders Lindström - Key Account Manager, for the firm s largest customer. 40

46 5.1.1 Objectives of CRM. 1. How would you describe customer related objectives of CRM? H: I see the main benefits as organizing customer data better so we can more efficiently serve our customers, if for example an employee is gone we want to be able to go in and easily see what has been said and get a picture of what has happened previously. We want to more simply get an overview of the situation and by doing so we want to more competent in the eyes of the customer and provide a better experience for them. I have noticed that other businesses have a more organized view of their customers, where no matter whom you speak to they have the same view of what has happened between the customer and the company. An analogy to this might be that of a traveling company, where bookings can be seen and changed or remade no matter whom you speak to in the company, all you really need to do is tell them whom you are. So really I see the primary objective of CRM as helping to sort and structure information and data in an easy to find easy to view manner. L: The purpose of CRM is to maintain a satisfied customer, to not miss any details. Its purpose is to keep track of the relation, when we last met and why we met. It should help the company keep a more organized view of the customer. Even if we aren t unstructured or unorganized now, such a process could help us get even better. 2. Would you view any of these objectives as important, describe why: Customer Loyalty, Customer Satisfaction, Customer Retention. H: These things are of course wanted within any business. I however see all of these as a result of being more organized out towards the customer, if we can make the customer feel more important by being able to take care of them better then I think they will be more satisfied and thereby be more loyal and perhaps buy more as a result. L: Loyalty doesn t mean much in this business, when the customer is making a new contract they put out specifications and ask for the cheapest price, cheapest wins. If we ve had the customer with us before they will ofcourse factor in things such as if we ve kept schedules or not, but price is king. Previous relations are of some importance but only if price requirements can be meet. Customers just don t switch suppliers but when you are producing 3.5 million cars in a series one or ten Euros per coupling makes a big difference. 41

47 3. How would you describe business related objectives of CRM? H: I think the main advantage is that we can in a better way see what has transpired between us and a client. If we can more easily see what has happened or what has been said then we can have the upper hand in for example negotiations. Since we are involved in many negotiations I would see this as a major benefit. This would in the end help us make more money as we would have a stronger position to negotiate from. L: The purpose for us is to get a structured view of how we interact with our customers. This is especially important if we ever switch personnel or someone else needs to go in and deal with a customer they haven t before. Possibly to analyze relationships, but I don t think we can produce more cash from our customers or get more customers than we have as a result. 4. Would you view any of these objectives as important, describe why? Who your customers are, Meet the needs of your customers, Future Sales, Automation H: I view these as valid points that are needed within any business organization. However in our company we don t evaluate future buying trends on paper, it is an evaluation the individual sales representatives do when deciding how to deal with customers. Many times the information used to move in for a sale is based on unofficial hunches or rumors something which can usually not be attained through mathematical analysis. But could perhaps be better dealt with using CRM to catch and distribute them or make sure the right person gets the information. As for automation, that is nothing we do and I don t think it would suit our type of business very well, at least if we re speaking in terms of automated mails or trying to cross sell by analyzing orders. We have key account managers that know what is happening to each customer, every customer has one of these people assigned to them, and I don t think any type of contact besides person to person would work well in our situation. I also don t think that any type of script or pre-made idea of how to talk to the customers would work, each customer has very different ways they need to be handled in, can t really automate that for our situation. Furthermore our customer base is rather small so we are fairly certain of whom our customers are, there aren t that many businesses out there that need our products. L: To collect information about customers is important, information like who our competitors for our customer are or mapping out the access points. These things change continually and at the moment this information is spread out across our network in many different places and documents, to keep track of it is very difficult. 42

48 We have no problems understanding our customers; we know exactly who they are. We know which customers we have and what potential customers there are. I don t think we could meet demand better, possibly we can collect information on competition and organize it in a more easy to manage way. So it is easier and faster to get a clear picture of the current situation and by that be able to give better offers. There is no way to predict future sales in a better way that we currently do really. As soon as a contract is getting close to running out the customer s technicians contact us with new specifications so we can change them and give them a new offer. Once the specifications have been set a buyer from the customers business contacts us and tries to minimize costs to please their superiors. From the first time we get to know of an order until we deliver a new system is around three years. If it s just an update or improvement I might take one or two years. It is always the customer who decides, he gives the deadlines, if we can t meet them they find someone else. I don t think we could automate the interaction with scripts, the relationships are too intricate for that, and I m not sure how we could cross or up sell, the customers know exactly what they want and send the specifications for that. I don t think it would be possible to automate the finding of new customers more than to list who we aren t delivering to as compared to what car manufacturers there are. Maybe I m not seeing the whole picture but I can t think of any way to do that with a system. 5. Is there anything you would like to add related to the objectives of CRM? H: Not really, I can just reiterate that I think the main goal of CRM is to organize and structure customer data and information in an easy to access way. L: I see the advantages of CRM as letting the company better organize and view information regarding customers, and putting the information in the company s possession instead of the employees CRM Strategy. 6. How does your organization interact with customers, what are the touch points? H: The contacts are foremost handled through each customers key account managers. The primary method and most important method we use for communication is . After that I would think phone calls and lastly personal meetings. 43

49 When communication with other businesses we also make sure that each person in our organization is speaking to their equal within the other business. For each customer we have a document that describes the staff in the other company so the people here speak to the same level person there and also have a better idea of what privileges the other person might have. L: With my customer, VW, the contacts are primarily with the technical department, and to some extent with the purchasing department of our firm. VW was with us from the beginning and has strong ties and relationships with the technical department. The purchasing department came in after a while and to begin with they just signed the papers but as of recently they have been doing a bit of the work too as the technical department has realized they can achieve better results if they cooperate. Usually it s the technical department that knows of things first, then we (key account managers) get an official request, the technicians from both companies work out the solution, purchasing is involved and costs are reviewed and remakes are made to cut prices. Once that is done we start offering and trying to win us a contract. A lot of these projects are never ending with one thing resulting in another. It might have started with an update to the software and kept going with other ideas that were discovered while doing this. The customer could simply have said we need more performance or given more detailed specifications for improvements. 7. What is the reasoning behind these interactions, when are they used and why? H: Mail is used because it is the primary way of communication with the business world, it used to be regular mail then fax and now , and it s simply the way it is. For more in-depth meetings or negotiations we would first move to phone conferences and then personal meetings. L: It s just turned out this way. It works well. 8. Are any of the following interaction types important: Television, Radio, Website, , Telephone, Personal Sales, Service Employees H: TV and Radio communications could be a great utility in reaching end customers but they are simply too expensive for regular use, if we could afford it we would use them to build our brand. We have a website, our goal for this has been to reach the end customer and not as much the people whom buy from us directly. We also had a separate website a while ago which went under the name Beat The Road, the idea involved a web shop with numerous clothing items and related promotional merchandise for sale, but the main thing we 44

50 wanted to do was get end customers to come test their off road cars together with us. What we learned here is that people weren t too interested in doing that, they were more interested in asking about specific concerns or questions directly to technicians, which is what the website is used for now, end customer to technician communications. The information that is generated through this communication is not dealt with in any specific way. I know we ve gotten some really interesting things from these communications in the past but we really have no method or system of getting all we can out of this information right now. L: Television and radio might be good for general information but it s nothing we try to do. We have a website aimed at the general public, where we present ourselves and our product. For our customer contacts the most used communication type is , then phone and lastly faces to face. I wouldn t call our communication personal sales but instead business relationship communication. We don t go out and try to push a product onto a customer. Customer service is a part of the projects, most often via the key account managers but depending on the problem it may go by the technicians first too. 9. What is the firm s customer strategy? H: As of a recent reorganization we have a greater focus on attaining new customers than before, we are however still more focused on keeping the ones we have. This recent reorganization created a new department which solely focuses on finding new business. When trying to compare what we focus more on, there are more people working in the department that works with current customers, however when we are attaining or trying to attain a new customer we are really involving a lot of people from the technical department as well. I find it difficult to compare which we are doing more of or putting a bigger weight on. L: To create long-term profitable relationships. We contacted our first customer in 1994 and delivered their first part in 1998 and we are still delivering to them. Our second started in 2001 and we have been delivering with them since then as well. So I would say it s working. 10. How are customers identified and targeted? H: We really don t have that many customers or potential customers for our business, finding them is not the problem. The difficulties lie in getting an entry point to a new 45

51 customer. We try to persuade new customers through trade fairs and events such as the one in Arjeplog each year where we invite everyone and show off our products to them. Since our customers are the car manufactures throughout the world we also call possible customers and try to get a time to come and present ourselves and our products. L: We look at what s on the market and contact the manufacturers. It s a matter of calling, setting up meetings and trying to convince them and show them that our product is superior. The most difficult for us is getting in on the Japanese market they are very difficult to get to know. There are a number of given customers and they aren t hard to find, just walk into any car sales business. 11. How would the life cycle of a customer look? H: The cycle is made up from the car models our customers sell. In the beginning we work together to find a solution that works for them, our technicians together with their technicians. Once a solution has been accepted we then work with them continuously in a close relationship between their employees and ours. With most of our biggest customers this means daily communications and problem solving/discussion back and forth. With some of our smaller customers there could be months without any communication. Once we hear that there is a new model or new remake coming out from a customer we try to contact them and repeat the process. Usually once a company in our position has entered in as a supplier for a car manufacturer there really needs to be something extreme for the partnership to end. The costs to switch are very high, but it has happened. If such a switch were to occur with one of our big customers it would really be a fatal blow, we do everything we can to avoid such a situation. L: There are a few stages, for my primary customer VW, our product was first shown to their technicians whom in turn told their superiors this is what we want. Since that day there is a continuous loop between our technicians and theirs. There has not gone one month since -98 that we have not met face to face, on top of phone meetings, and conversations. As new technical advances are made the customer can come in and say we are making a new car, make your product / lighter / faster / more efficient / cheaper. Most of the time we do upgrades on an existing product but every few years we switch coupling generations and come with a completely new solution or radical re-make. These upgrades can also be as a cause of the customer not being completely happy with a previous product. 46

52 There is still a distinct line between the corporations but there are very strong ties between us. 12. How is information about customers organized? H: Everyone organizes information by themselves; we have a network disk with a given structure that everyone works with. In this network drive each customer has a folder and in each of these folders are a number of sub-categories / folders of data, such as schematics, costs, presentations etc. This system is however quite difficult to navigate and also all the mail conversations regarding a customer are really locked in to one person and can t be shared through this method. It would be very difficult for someone else to go in and find something in the network disk of someone else s customer and pretty much impossible to go through all the correspondence and get an updated idea about their customer. L: We have things such as volume and prices on paper. All other information is collected in meeting protocols and visiting protocols. These things are placed on the network disk or out with the employees, not very structured. 13. What kind of training do employees who are in contact with customers have? H: We have no specific training that we give to people whom are in contact with customers. As it is now sales people or key account managers come from the technical department and have through that department been introduced and worked extensively with our customers and grown into the role. We hand pick from our technicians those who we think are well suited for this type of work. I don t think we ve ever had anyone who is completely new to the area come in and work with a customer. This is something we could be doing better, and something which could be necessary in certain cases. L: We are mostly self-learned, with no specific training. There are possibilities for further training available through Haldex but these are mostly at our own initiative, examples could be negotiation skills. Management has recently started looking at a competency analysis where they review what knowledge we posses and where improvements could be made. In the future this will be part of the personal review of each employee. 47

53 14. How would you describe the culture of the organization H: We have a huge pride about our product. The product we sell has made us a very large company, we started out with 30 people and we are now working with over 300 within our department. We are the star of Haldex. Also through these last year s rough time our employees have become even prouder and stronger as a group, something which our internal surveys have shown, our employees are more satisfied now than they were a year ago. We ve gone through a rough patch but made it out. We are however still a rather young business. But if I were to name the heroes of our firm it would be the technicians, these are the core of our firm. L: We have good relationships between the employees. We are managed in a top-down way and our Man. Dir. is very competent and extremely knowledgeable down to detail levels of our product. I think we have a good reputation with our customers and are always welcome. The management is very tolerant to mistakes and would rather see a faulty action than no action at all. Author note: It should be noted that this question took considerably longer for both interviewees to respond to. In all other questions the answer started after about 3-4 seconds, for this answer the thinking time was considerably longer, in the range of seconds. One of the persons interviewed even asked for a clarification as to what I meant. 15. Are there any positive or negative effects of this culture towards customers? Are there any types of reward systems for cultural behavior? H: We are viewed as competent specialists, especially regarding the development of new solutions. We do however have a technical arrogance about us, if the customer does not understand how good our products are then they are not a good customer. This technical arrogance also moves us to always want to provide technically advanced solutions something which is a problem when trying to work with emerging markets that require cheap and simple products. We are not really built for such a market. We choose to do what is fun and the market should appreciate this. We as leaders through this business try to show the way and not crack down on mistakes in an un-productive way. 48

54 We are working for continuous improvements, what we call Haldex Way where each person has key performance indicators and is rewarded through bonus systems on these, but none of these are specifically targeted at rewarding culture. Truthfully we ve never thought about rewarding culture, it s interesting as the culture is an important aspect of any business. L: We are small relatively speaking but very forged together. Some customers or potential customers don t view us as a credible supplier because of this. There are bonus systems in place but these are aimed at rewarding the sale advances. Author note: It should be noted that respondent H wrote down a note about this question, something which was not done for any other question, when asked about it he replied that he would bring it up in the next management meeting as something to discuss. 16. How does the firm differentiate between customers? H: We don t really differentiate among the customers but we check what customers are profitable and not, at all times. We can see this as a whole or divided down into each part the customers are buying. This data is shown in a power point presentation that is connected and updated through an excel document where you can navigate to each of the customers and click down the levels until you arrive at specific parts. The graphs show us how the companies are progressing towards us in matters of profitability (Figure 5.1). In this view the budgeted contribution margin can be compared to the actual, and an accumulated margin can be seen for the past year. For each customer we generate this data and calculate an accumulated Contribution Margin which tells us the profits over time. Value Time Figure 5.1: Monthly report, Contribution Margin. Source: Haldex Monthly Report, December

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